Jud's Revenge
by broadwaybaby2010
Summary: This story's action starts in Act 2, Scene 2 and assumes Jud cannot control his anger toward Laurey and acts out against her. Jud wants Laurey and he will have her. But will Curly be able to rescue her? And how will they deal with the aftermath of Jud's revenge?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello all! I haven't written much in a while, but this story was sparked based on helping actors with a production of Oklahoma! currently in rehearsals. Getting into Jud's character is hard and this sort of starts to give insight into some of his issues, to my mind. Of course, I own nothing except the storyline; the rest belongs to Rogers and Hammerstein. Also, please note the rating; much of it comes into play in this first chapter. The dialogue is also written in dialect similar to that of the show (or as close as I could manage). Hope you enjoy! (Yes, there is more, so let me know if you like it and want to read some more of what I have written!)**

"You – you have no idea what you done –" Jud said, advancing on Laurey. He gripped her arms hard, shaking her.

"Jud! Jud, you's hurtin' me!"

"You's hurt me too, Laurey! Why can't ya see what you's doin' to me. You's pushed me too far this time." Jud couldn't control his temper any longer and threw Laurey to the ground there in the pasture.

Laurey, not having anticipated such violence toward her, fell to the ground hard, but scrambled to turn herself over to look at the man she was completely terrified of. "Jud, what you doin'? You don't wanna hurt me. You know that ain't right."

"Miss Laurey, I'm done with right." With that, Jud got to this knees on the hard ground and pinned Laurey's hands to the ground.

"Hep! Hep! Curly! Aunt Eller! Somebody! Hep me!" It nearly pained Laurey to fall into the 'damsel-in-distress' role, but there was no way she could overpower Jud who had muscles that were toned from the daily manual labor on the farm.

"Shet up, Miss Laurey," Jud warned, pulling his knife from his pocket and holding it near Laurey's throat. "I'd hate to have to slice that purdy throat of your'n."

Laurey swallowed hard and looked into the crazy eyes of the man atop her. She was scared. She didn't know what he was going to do to her, but that knife scared her and she was sure he knew how to use it. She nodded gently. "O-okay, Jud. Okay. Jus'…jus' put the knife down."

Jud looked into Laurey's eyes and, for a moment, he broke out of his rage when he saw the fear that laid behind her gaze. "A-Alright, Miss Laurey, I'll put it away."

"Thank ya, Jud." Laurey allowed her body to relax slightly, but suddenly a sound came from the distance.

"Laurey? Laurey, where'd you get to?" Curly's voice came from the direction of the farmhouse.

Before Laurey could answer her love's call, Jud had roughly pulled her to her feet and was dragging her along behind him as he hurried toward his smokehouse, mumbling to himself. "Cain't have her – no good fer her, Curly – She mine—"

Jud reached his door and practically threw Laurey inside. Jud then locked his door and pushed a table in front of it to barricade them inside. "Jud? Jud, you're scaring me again," Laurey said tentatively, trying to break Jud out of his trance again to no avail.

"Cain't have you – You's mine –" Jud approached Laurey slowly and Laurey tried to back away from him until she bumped into his bed, sudden realization donning on her.

"Jud, please. Don't do this. Jus' let me go. Ya can stay here in the smokehouse as long as ya like. Jus' let me go."

"Nah. You's jus' gonna go back to that Curly."

"Jud, I…I love Curly."

This set Jud off. "He no good for ya!" Jud yelled, rushing toward Laurey and knocking her down onto his bed. His rough hands dug under her voluminous skirts, trying to push them up to her waist. Laurey was kicking her legs, trying to get free, but Jud had her pinned down with nowhere to go. With her skirts gathered by her hips, he roughly ripped the top of her dress and pulled out his knife. Laurey's breath caught in her throat, thinking he would kill her. He roughly twisted her to lay on her stomach as he sliced the lacing of her corset, throwing his knife behind him to the floor. Turning Laurey back over, Jud looked down to see her face bright red and tear stained. His thumb brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Wha's the matta, Miss Laurey?"

Measuring her words carefully, she responded, "I…I don't wanna be heer, Jud. I wanna go home."

"That precious Curly ain't come to yer rescue. See, I told yous he's no good for you. You needs a real man," Jud said, becoming possessive of the girl in shambles in front of him.

"Please, Jud. Curly don't know where I am. If he did, he'd be heer for sher."

Jud couldn't stand it. All she wanted was Curly. She would never want him, no matter what he did. "Well, he damn sher ain't heer now, is he? He don't know his girl is in trouble. Well, his girl is my girl now." With that, he ripped the corset down, revealing her chest that was heaving with her sobs. The pictures of the naked women on his walls were nothing compared to this living, breathing beauty beneath him. Laurey so desperately wanted to cover herself, but had no power to do so. Her embarrassment and fear fueled her sobs as Jud bent to kiss her. She fought to turn away from him, practically gagging on his tongue that he shoved inside her mouth.

His rough hands felt the smooth, previously untouched skin of her breasts, gripping the flesh harshly between his calloused fingers. Jud let out a sigh of contentment; the dreams and thoughts he had had for months were real and he had her all to himself. To kiss. To touch. To have. These thoughts had his breathing rapid and his desires at a peak. He leaned back onto his heels to undo his pants.

Laurey saw this moment of distraction and tried to make an escape. She pulled her leg back and, kicking Jud in the chest and knocking him backwards, she rushed toward the door. She frantically pulled and pulled on the table that blocked her way. Tears furiously falling down her face, she screamed, "CURLY! CURLY, PLEASE! HEP! HEP!"

Jud recovered from the blow and angrily grabbed Laurey, throwing her back onto the bed. "Naughty, naughty, Miss Laurey." He reached up under her skirts and pulled her bloomers off, throwing them to the floor, and positioning himself between her knees, pushing her skirts up so he could see her in all her glory. Seeing her most intimate of parts seemed like a dream. He licked his lips. Laurey held her eyes tight closed, trying desperately to imagine herself anywhere but here. But suddenly, everything came crashing back down to her reality as he pushed inside her and she felt a strain and pain she had never even thought existed. Barely audible, she begged over and over for Jud to stop, to let her go, to stop the terror and pain she was enduring.

But Jud was living his own dream and continued thrusting into her tightness. Women hardly ever touched him, and he had never experienced anything like this. Now, he had his dream girl in the most intimate of ways. His pleasure grew, as did her torture, until he released inside her and collapsed to her side. Pulling himself out of her, she felt an odd sensation and was just able to look down and see the blood staining the bed and covering her thighs. She sobbed even harder. Her innocence was gone, taken from her by the man regaining his breath beside her. She didn't know what the future held, but it was the not the future she had ever pictured for herself.

Jud turned over and brushed the hair from Laurey's tear-soaked cheeks, tucking it behind her ear. "You mus' be tired. I knows I am." Laurey couldn't bring herself to speak and just nodded. "Well, afta your little escape attempt earlier…." Jud got to his feet, pulling his pants up and closing them. He crossed the room and took a coil of rope off a hook on the wall. He tied her wrists together and then ran the rope under the bed to tie to the frame. "There. Now, just lay heer and relax. I'll go's and gets us somethin' to drink." Jud pushed the table aside, unlocked the door and, picking up his water bucket, headed for the well.

Laurey knew the well was a good ten minutes journey from the smokehouse. She tried to fight the knots binding her, but wasn't able to overcome the skill that Jud had used in securing her in place. She was able to swing herself off the bed to view the knots that held her to the bed from beneath. Sitting on the floor, Laurey could feel how sore she was from the encounter with Jud and all she wanted to do was to cry, but she had to keep fighting. Her time was limited. Seeing the knife across the floor, she inched herself cautiously toward it, carefully listening for the slightest sound that would indicate her captor returning. Reaching the knife with her foot and scooting toward herself, she began sawing through the thick rope. While pushing herself to keep going, a small voice in her head told her that there was no way she would get through the rope before Jud got back.

Laurey then heard voices coming toward the smokehouse. She froze and listened closely. Male voices. Loud. Angry. Then she heard the long drawl that she knew belonged to her beloved Curly. Her heart raced. Was it worth it to try to call out to him and chance Jud hearing? She listened again and realized there were two voices and that second voice was one that was burned into her brain forever. It would haunt her as the voice of her captor, her rapist for the rest of her life. And it was getting louder, close enough that she could finally make out words.

"Where is she, Jud?" Curly yelled, holding Jud by the collar.

"I don't know. Cain't you handle your own girl?" Curly punched Jud across the face.

"Where is she?! Nobody in town's seen her. What have you done to her?"

"She's mine now." Curly punched Jud again, hitting him hard enough to knock him to the ground and Curly took off running toward Jud's smokehouse.

"CURLY! CURLY, I'M IN HEER!" Laurey called out, knowing that Curly was coming for her.

Curly burst through the door and didn't even register the situation before rushing over the Laurey and taking her into his arms. Laurey's strength gave way and tears rushed down her face once more. While holding her, Curly undid the knots around her wrists, releasing her from her confines. "Shh. I'm heer, Laurey. I'm heer."


	2. Chapter 2

Curly held her close and looked round the room. He looked down at the girl he loved, the girl he planned to ask to marry him, and saw her disheveled appearance. He realized that her top was so askew that he could see her bare chest. He unbuttoned his shirt, leaving him in his white undershirt, and wrapped Laurey in the flannel to keep her warm and cover her bare skin. It made him sick as he started to realize what had happened here before he was able to find her. He looked at the bed, seeing the rope that he had freed her from and the blood-stained, askew blanket. Then he saw the bloomers on the floor across the room and he swallowed hard. That monster had done something unforgiveable and Curly wouldn't let him get away with it. But first, he had to take care of his Laurey.

"Laurey? Laurey? Let's git you home." Laurey wrapped her arms up around Curly's neck as he lifted her into his arms to carry her toward the house.

"Wait, Curly. W-where is he?"

Curly pulled out his gun from his holster and cocked it back. "Don't you worry bout 'im, Laurey. He won't be comin' anywheres near you ever agin." Carrying Laurey up toward the main house, Curly noticed that Jud was not where he had left him. To Curly's mind, that was a good thing because he was likely to have shot him on the spot.

Making it into the farmhouse, Curly was greeted by Aunt Eller. "Oh thank heavens! Ya found 'er!" Laurey hid her face in Curly's chest. She couldn't face anyone right now.

"Ring Doc Tyler, Aunt Eller. Tell 'im to bring his bag. Ring Andrew Carnes, too. I'm takin' Laurey up to her room."

"Uh, Curly? I knows I don't have to tell yous this, but that ain't the most proper way to –"

"I ain't leaving her alone. Now, please, Aunt Eller. Place the calls." Aunt Eller was not used to this side of Curly. Curly was the relaxed type. They joked with each other all the time. And he's a swell dancer. But never had he had this tone that she could remember. Straight-faced, she nodded and Curly climbed the stairs with Laurey still in his arms.

Curly cautiously entered Laurey's room and slowly placed her on her bed, but she wouldn't let go. "Laurey, honey, ya gots to let go of me." Laurey shook her head. She felt protected in his arms. "I ain't goin' far. I'm just gonna start some bath water on the stove fer ya." He did just that and set out towels for her next to the tub in the room next door to hers. While the water heated, Curly returned to the side of Laurey's bed and held her hand, letting her know he was there.

When the bath was ready, Curly leaned down and gently kissed Laurey on the forehead. "Laurey? Let's get ya cleaned up, okay? Grab a nightgown t' take in there with ya for after your bath. Take as long as ya want. I'll warm up more water ef ya needs me to." Laurey got to her feet and started to shuffle toward the tub. The tenderness between her legs made moving a bit difficult. He had been so rough…. Curly helped to support her when he saw her struggle. "I'll jus' leave ya to it, then," Curly said, starting to close the door.

"Wait, Curly."

"Wha's the matta, Laurey?"

"Can…can ya tell me if my back is bruised? It really hurts."

Curly held his anger at bay. "O-okay." He grabbed a towel and held it up as a barrier between them as she removed his shirt and her torn dress and corset. Keeping his eyes closed, Curly handed Laurey the towel to cover herself and, with her permission, he opened his eyes to examine her wounds. He could see blotchy black and blue marks starting to appear on her pale skin along with a couple of small cuts. Without thinking, Curly murmured, "What did he do to ya?" Realizing that he had said it aloud, he quickly continued, "Ya don't haft t' tell me." He gently touched the bruised skin. "Yeah, you is bruised with a couple a cuts, too."

"It musta been when he got mad. I think I hit the wall."

It broke Curly's heart to know that she was hurt, that he couldn't protect her. He reached down and grabbed a wash cloth and dipped it into the bath water. "May I?" he asked gently and she nodded, allowing him to clean the wounds on her back she wouldn't be able to reach. When he had finished, he told her, "You better git in. The water's gittin' cold."

"Wait. Can I see that?" Laurey turned to take the wash cloth from his hand and turned back around to keep her back to him. She dipped the wash cloth into the water again and began to wipe the blood from her thighs. When she went to dip the wash cloth again, Curly saw the blood staining the white cloth.

"Laurey!" he exclaimed.

"I-I'm okay, Curly. I mean, I ain't bleedin' no more."

"He ain't never gonna tetch you agin. Never, Laurey. I mean it."

"Curly!" Aunt Eller's voice came from downstairs, "Curly, Doc Tyler and Mr. Carnes is heer."

"Laurey, I need t' go n talk to 'em. Will ya be okay up heer?"

Making sure she was covered, Laurey turned around to face Curly and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Thank ya, Curly. I'll be okay. Jus'…hurry back?"

"Will do."

As Laurey eased herself into the tub, Curly went downstairs to talk to the two men he thought could help this situation. "Gentlemen," Curly greeted. "Aunt Eller, if you'll excuse us," he said ushering her out of the room.

"What's goin' on heer, Curly?" Doc Tyler questioned.

"Did ya find Laurey?" Mr. Carnes asked, knowing the search had been on for her for much of the evening.

"She was attacked," Curly explained.

"What?" Mr. Carnes chimed in.

"She okay?" the doctor questioned, concerned.

"She's…well, she's heer. She's up taking a bath, gittin' herself cleaned up. I jus'… yous were the only men I knew to call…."

"Well, what happened, son?" Mr. Carnes said, his fatherly nature kicking in.

"Well, she ain't exactly talked about it much, but I has a purdity good idy what happened."

"Jus' tell us what ya know," Mr. Carnes, the judge of the town, continued.

"I found 'er down in Jud's smokehouse. She was tied to the bed 'th a rope 'round her wrists. Her corset was ripped, her bloomers were on the floor, and there was blood on the bed…." Each word pained Curly to say, but he knew Laurey needed the help of these men. "I know her back's all bruised and cut up, but I don' know 'bout any more injuries…."

"Goddammit," was all either of the men could manage to say. The room was silent until Carnes's anger rose to the point of explosion, "Where is that shike-poke?! I'll string 'im up from the nearest tree!"

"I punched 'im but good, but 'en, 'fore I could come back fer 'im, he was gone," Curly explained.

"I'll make sher t' issue a warrant fer his arrest ferst thing in the mornin', Curly," Mr. Carnes assured him.

"How can I hep?" Doc Tyler asked, focusing on compassion for the victim rather than anger at the perpetrator.

"Can ya jus'… look 'er over when she's ready? I wants to make sher she's physically okay. There was enough blood on that bed…."

"Well, that makes sense. She a good girl. She unmarried. It's probably nuthin' to worry 'bout, but I'll take a look."

"Let me jus' go see how she is." Curly headed for the stairs and was cut off briefly by Aunt Eller.

"Curly, I heared. Is our girl really gonna be okay? Tell me the truth."

Curly shook his head. He should've known better than to think Aunt Eller wouldn't be eavesdropping during that conversation. "She's purdity banged up, Aunt Eller. Bruises, cuts. She darn near turned a wash cloth red cleaning up the blood. We'll see what the doc says." He patted her on the shoulder and took the stairs two at a time to get back to Laurey.

Curly knocked on the door cautiously before entering. "Laurey?" he said softly, gently, "Laurey? Ya decent?" It was then that he heard her crying and he rushed in to find her in the tub, sobbing into the lukewarm water. He grabbed a towel and helped her to her feet, wrapping her in the towel, and gently helped her to her bed, sitting beside her. "Shhh. I'm sorry. I shuldn't've left ya. Shhh. I'm here." She leaned on his shoulder, trying to calm her breathing down. Soon, in his embrace, she was able to calm the sobs. "Okay, Laurey? Doc Tyler is heer. Can he take a look at ya? Just to make sher you's okay?"

"I…I guess so."

"Good. So let's git you in a nightgown so he can take a look." Curly used his gentlest touch to help her get dressed, closing his eyes when necessary. As much as he loved Laurey, he wasn't going to make her uncomfortable in any way. "Okay, jus' lie down. I'll be right back."

Curly soon returned with the doctor. As Doc Tyler got set up for his examine, Curly went to leave, but Laurey called out to him. "Curly, please. Don't leave me."

"It alright 'th you, Doc?"

"Might hep, Curly." Curly nodded and took a seat in a chair next to the head of Laurey's bed.

Doc Tyler asked for a list of all of her injuries. With difficulty, Laurey started to slowly answer, "There's some bruising and a couple of cuts on my back."

"And what is that from?" Doc Tyler questioned, taking notes on a chart.

"He…he got angry 'th me. I tried to git away. He throwed me back down and I hit the wall before I hit the bed."

"Okay. Other injuries?"

"Burns on my wrists."

"Burns?"

"From the rope. He… um… he tied me up so I couldn't git away." Each word felt like a punch to the gut for Curly, but he stayed strong, holding Laurey's hand the whole time. "I have a couple scratches on my chest…" Laurey continued, her eyes falling to focus on the blanket on her bed out of embarrassment.

"Can you tell me what those are from, Laurey?" The doctor made sure to use the gentlest wording he could to keep her as comfortable as possible.

"His fingernails." This answer was practically mumbled, but Doc Tyler caught it. Curly thought he might be sick. "And…and I…I was bleeding from –"

"I know. It's okay. Let's take a look." Doc Tyler examined all of the cuts and bruises on Laurey's body, telling her to make sure to keep them clean. He also made sure her bleeding had stopped. "Most likely, there's some tearing. You be sore for a while 'n there may be a bit of blood, but it should heal on its own." Doc Tyler left her some pills to help her sleep and told her to call him if she needed anything. Then he beckoned Curly to the hall, closing her door behind them. "I wish I could do more."

"Thank ya, Doc," Curly said, shaking his hand.

"Keep an eye on 'er, Curly. She's gonna have a hard time fer a while." Curly nodded. He had already planned to take care of her. "And we'll have to see what happens in a month or two."

Doc Tyler turned to go, but Curly stopped him. "What'd ya mean?"

The doctor took a deep breath and let it out. This wasn't going to be easy to break to him. "We'll have t' see ef she is 'th child. I'm sorry, Curly." Doc Tyler grabbed Curly's arm tightly, reassuringly and turned to go.

Curly ran downstairs to make sure the doctor and Mr. Carnes had left and then he was caught again by Aunt Eller. "How is she, Curly?"

Curly told Aunt Eller about Laurey's injuries, but left out the doctor's last comment to him. He couldn't bring himself to repeat it. "I'm going to stay with 'er, Aunt Eller." Without a fight, Aunt Eller nodded and Curly headed back upstairs to his Laurey.

He crossed to her bedside and brushed her bangs to the side. She looked up at Curly and whispered, "Am I gonna be okay, Curly?"

He took a seat on the side of her bed. "Of course ya air! Ya heared the doctor and I'm gonna be right heer to take care of ya."

"Really? You ain't leavin'?"

"Not ef you'll have me." Curly then found a blanket from the cupboard and started to settle down on the floor next to Laurey. "I'll be right heer."

"Oh, Curly. Ya cain't sleep on the floor!"

"I'll be fine," he assured her.

"Please? Lay heer," she said, patting the bed next to her.

Curly was hesitant. "Ya sher, Laurey?" She nodded and Curly crawled in beside her, making sure to stay atop of her covers and to stay fully clothed.

"Hold me?" she asked softly.

"O' course," he replied, wrapping his arms around her. In his protective embrace, she drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, almost all the men of the town were on the hunt for Jud. The warrant had been posted as for "assault of Miss Laurey Williams" and that alone had the town in an uproar. No one dared mess with Laurey and get away with it. But one man was not on the hunt and that was Curly. Curly was with Laurey, caring for her and making sure she followed the doctor's orders. But the whole day he couldn't shake what Doc Tyler had told him: _We'll have 't see ef she is 'th child. _The words were ringing though his mind making him crazy. What Jud did was bad enough, but if Laurey had to care for his child…. No. It was too much for anyone to have to bear. However, Curly was so lost in his thoughts, that is was also obvious to those around him.

"Curly? What's goin' through that head of your'n?" Laurey finally asked by mid-day.

"Jus' worryin' 'bout you. That's all."

"Nah, you was worried 'bout me last night and you wasn't like this." She knew him too well for him to hide anything from her.

"Let's….let's go somewheres together. Jus' us. Mebbe a picnic." Skeptically, Laurey agreed, hoping she would understand more on this outing.

An hour later, Curly and Laurey were seated on a blanket with their picnic half eaten, neither of them being all that hungry. "Curly, please. What's goin' on 'th you?"

Curly took a deep breath. Everything was telling him that he shouldn't tell her, shouldn't make her think about it, but he knew she deserved to see the whole situation. "Doc Tyler talked to me in the hall after your exam last night."

Laurey looked at him worriedly. "W-what did he say?"

"He…um…he said he would have to do a checkup in a month or two."

"That's why you's worried? I'm sher he wants to know I'm healed…."

"He will have to check to see ef you are 'th child," Curly blurted out, just hoping to get the words out.

"What?"

"I mean, given what happened, I suppose there is a small chance –"

"How small a chance?!" Laurey said frantically.

"I-I don't know, Laurey. That's all he told me."

Laurey tried desperately to keep the tears from falling, but she couldn't help it as they began. "Curly, it ain't fair! It ain't! I don't want his bebe! I don't want none of this!"

"Shh, I know. I know," Curly said, holding her close. "We don't know that you has a bebe, okay? We jus' gotta wait 'n see. It'll be okay."

"How's it gonna be okay? I don't wanna marry 'im!"

"Laurey, what you talkin' 'bout? Course you won't marry 'im! Laurey, he attacked you. He ain't gittin' anywheres near you."

"But, ef it's his bebe…."

"No. He ain't comin' near ya. He'll go to jail 'fore he gits near t' ya."

"But no one'll marry me ef I has a bebe that ain't theirs…."

"I-I would…." Curly said it, knowing full well what he said and that this wasn't the best time, but she needed to know he loved her, that she wasn't going to go through this alone.

"Curly? What're you sayin'?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

"I'm saying….I'm saying that I wants to marry ya, Laurey. I do. I won't ever leave ya. I'm gonna protect ya, no matter what."

"I wants to marry you too, Curly!" Curly leaned down and kissed her gently and sweetly on the lips, showing her his love. "When?" was the first word out of her mouth when they broke apart.

"What?" Curly was caught off guard.

"When can we get married?"

"Laurey, don't you think – considering recent events – I thought you'd want t'—"

"Curly, w-who all knows 'bout the bebe?"

"Um, well, just the doc, I guess. Mr. Carnes and Aunt Eller know what happened ter ya, but I ain't said nuthin' else to 'em. They may be thinkin' it a possibility, but I don't know…."

"So, what ef there is a bebe? No one else in town would have t' know it were Jud's…."

"Laurey –"

"I jus' mean that, then it- it wuldn't have t' be so strange a situation ef…."

Curly was a good man, an honorable man. And if this was what was going to help Laurey face this terrible thing that happened to her, he couldn't say he was upset to be marrying her sooner rather than later. "We'll do it soon. We'll have t' find ya a dress somewheres….." Laurey kissed Curly in her excitement and they packed up their picnic to head back to the farmhouse to start their plans.

Aunt Eller was so excited to hear the news, but was a bit taken aback by the short timeline she was given to make this wedding happen. However, over the next week, plans were falling into place. Everyone in town was excited to hear Laurey and Curly were finally getting married. The women of the town volunteered to make a meal and help decorate the farm and Aunt Eller was able to find Laurey's mother's dress for her to wear. On the day before the wedding, Curly found Andrew Carnes in town and pulled him aside.

"Any sign of 'im?" Curly asked, not able to even name the man who was still on the loose after attacking Laurey.

"No, son. No one's seen 'im. But ef he shows up, he won't git far."

"Thank ya."

"Sher thing, son. How's she doin'?"

"She's focused on the weddin'. That's helped. Nights are roughest. She gits sceered easy."

"Sher, sher."

"Mr. Carnes, can I ask fer a favor?"

"What is it, son?"

"Could ya ask the men not to do a shivaree tomarra?"

"Oh, son. It's a custom. It's all in good fun."

"Mr. Carnes, please? I-I don't know how Laurey'll be after the weddin' and I don't want 'er to git upset over nuthin'."

"Alright, son. I'll do my best."

"Thank ya, sir. Now I gots to git back ter Laurey."

Mr. Carnes gave a small nod of his head, sending Curly off back to the farmhouse.

**Author's Note: This is a chapter in this story that I am not the happiest with. If I can find a better way to deal with the proposal, I'd love to rework this part at some point, but, for now, I'll let it be so that we can move on to what's coming next! Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

The wedding was beautiful. The events of the past week or so disappeared from Laurey's mind and all she saw was her Curly. Her Curly, who kept his hand at the small of her back the whole night, never leaving her alone for a moment. And as the party died down that night, Curly and Laurey headed to the farmhouse. Aunt Eller, knowing it to be their wedding night, booked herself a room in the town's inn to give them the place to themselves.

Curly lifted Laruey into his arms and carried her over the threshold, making her giggle. They were both so happy. Curly carried her up the stairs to her room, to the freshly made bed with the quilt Aunt Eller had miraculously been able to make as their present in the past week's time. But just as Curly was about to set her down on the bed, he froze. "Laurey?" She looked up at him. "I—I don't know what to- I mean, I know what to, I just don't know ef ya—I mean, I don't know ef ya would be comfertable 'th…"

"Curly? What ya tryin' to say?"

Curly set her down gently on the floor and walked away from her, not able to meet her gaze. "It's…It's our weddin' night, Laurey... and I jus' wasn't sher you wuld be feelin' up ter…ter celebratin' the way a man and womern usually celebrates such an occasion…."

Laurey came up behind Curly and put her arms around his waist, causing him to turn back to face her. "I 'ppreciate that, Curly." She went up on her toes to give him a kiss. "To be honest, I ain't got no idy what I feel up t'…."

"We don't have t', Laurey," he said, cradling her cheek in his palm. "We jus'…. Well, we technically ain't married yet…."

"I know, Curly. Mebbe we could jus'… start n' see?"

"Sher! We culd do that!" Curly said, a little too enthusiastically. He didn't want to push Laurey, but he had been waiting for this night for quite a long time and he would be lying if he said he didn't want to claim Laurey as his wife.

Laurey gave him a small smile, seeing his eagerness breaking through. "Well then," she said, turning her back to him, "Can ya he me outta this dress?"

Curly's heart skipped a beat as he reached forward and started to undo the buttons that held the dress on Laurey's gentle form. He swallowed hard as he reached the end of the closures and the sleeves slid off of Laurey's shoulders. She let it fall to the ground before stepping out of it. Curly could bring himself to do nothing but stare at her smooth form left in front of him. She was left in her bloomers and corset with her back to him. He could see some of the scratches and bruises peeking out from the top of her corset, scabbed over from the healing time of the past week. But they were not the focus of his attention. He could see her legs, slender but strong, casting a shadow through her bloomers in the lamplight. He could see all of her curves held tight by her bright white corset and he couldn't help but move toward her, placing a kiss on her shoulder before starting to attempt the lacings of the corset. As soon as he had the first tie undone, and Laurey felt the undergarment loosen, she cried out, "Curly, stop!"

Curly jumped back as if he had been burned. "What? What is it?" Laurey turned to face him and she had started to cry. "Laurey, I'm sorry!"

She sniffled. "No, it ain't yer fault. It just…. It made me think a when he –"

"Shh. It's okay. How 'bout you go in the other room and put your nightgown on. I'll jus' wait heer fer ya," he said, taking a seat on the bed. Laurey gave him a sweet smile before doing as he suggested.

Soon, she was back in her room and seated next to her new husband on the bed, her hand in his. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes, seeing how she was trying desperately to mask her pain. "Laurey, honey? Can ya tell me what I did that sceered you? I don't want ter do it agin…."

Laurey took a deep breath. They hadn't talked about it since the day after it happened and she hadn't given him any details on the horror she had endured. But he deserved to know. "Well…um... when I felt my corset loosenin', it made me think o' when he cut the lacin's that night…."

"Cut?" Curly choked out.

"Yeah. He had 'is knife. I thought he were gonna cut me; he had threatened it. But he jus' cut my corset and pulled it down and he…he tetched my chest all rough like…."

"And that's how ya got those scratches….Oh, Laurey…."

"Curly, he was so rough 'th me…" she said, a few tears streaking her cheeks.

"Shh. It's okay. It's over. I'm heer," he said wiping away the tears.

"I-I'll be okay. Why don't ya git ready for bed and join me?" She was trying to be perky and keep up the good feelings from the wedding.

Curly gave her a smile. "Sher."He started to undo his pants and Laurey tensed. He froze. "Laurey?"

She took a moment to try to calm her breathing. "Sorry."

"You okay? I thought you told me to –"

"Yeah, I did. Jus'… can I ask ya to get ready in the other room too?"

Curly did just that, willing to do whatever she needed of him, leaving him in his underwear and bare chested when he returned to Laurey. "Sorry," he said, coming back into the room.

"You don't gots to be, Curly. I jus'… that night, I saw him… undo his pants and that's when I tried to get away…."

"Laurey, I'll do whatever will make ya feel comfertable. I'm so sorry you's going through this," he replied before leaning in for a reassuring kiss.

"You are so good t' me, Curly," Laurey told him, leaning back in for a passionate kiss, showing him how much his cautiousness and understanding meant to her. His hand went to her waist, caressing her gently. Laurey's heart was racing. This felt so different than her incident; he was gentle and kind and her own body reacted to his touch in a positive way.

Curly's body was reacting too and he cautiously laid Laurey back onto the pillows. Pulling away briefly, he breathlessly told her, "Jus' tell me ef I need t' stop. I will. I don't want to hurt ya."

She nodded, albeit a bit nervously before restarting their kiss. Curly held her tightly in his arms, feeling her soft skin and curves beneath his touch. Laurey ran her hands up and down Curly's bare back, feeling his toned muscles. Before Curly could ask Laurey her permission to go much further, a loud banging noise came from outside the window, partnered with incomprehensible yelling.

Laurey and Curly jumped apart, but Laurey quickly calmed. "Oh, those boys, throwin' us a shivaree…."

Curly knew Mr. Carnes had handled that situation. Besides, everyone had gone home. It was awfully late for them to have come back out, even if they had decided to ignore Mr. Carnes's disapproval of the custom for Laurey and Curly. Concerned, Curly ran to the window and looked down to see Jud in the yard, beating on a pan and yelling at the top of his lungs. Curly ran back into the room where he had gotten ready for bed and pulled his pants back on and grabbed his gun from its holster, cocking the hammer back. "Laurey, stay here," he said, heading for the door.

Laurey, seeing the drastic change in his personality, climbed out of bed. "Curly, what is it?"

"Please, jus' stay here," he told her, running down the stairs. He picked up the phone and dialed Andrew Carnes. "Sir, Jud's heer. He's causin' a ruckus. Come quick," and he hung up and headed outside, coming face to face with Jud.

"Well, howdy there. I heared you married my girl tonight, Mr. McClain, n' I intend to set that t' rights," Jud said in slurred speech that told Curly that Jud was drunk.

"She ain't your'n, Jud. She ain't never been."

"T'ain't true!" Jud screamed, advancing on Curly just to meet the barrel of Curly's gun. "You cain't shoot me. I'm heer to claim what's mine. I claimed her as mine and she leavin' 'th me."

"Jud, git outta heer. Laurey ain't your'n. She my wife and ya ain't ever gonna get near 'er ever agin."

"Gimme my girl, Curly."

"Jud, what er ya doin' heer?" The voice came not from Curly, but from Laurey who had appeared on the porch having thrown on a housecoat over her nightgown.

"Laurey, you shuldn't have come out heer," Curly said, rushing back to her, attempting to get her back into the safety of the house.

"Git on, Jud. Git. Ya don't belong heer," Laurey called out to the drunk, disheveled man on her yard.

"Miss Laurey, ya gots to come 'th me. You is _my_ girl now. "

"No I ain't," Laurey yelled back, her anger growing.

"Yer lookin' mighty purdity that there nightgown, Miss Laurey. Mebbe you and I shuld head back down to my smokehouse fer some more fun." The strength Laurey had been using to confront her attacker fell away with these words and Curly advanced to Jud, punching him across the jaw and knocking him to the ground. Jud's anger grew and he stumbled to his feet to charge at Curly. Before Jud could get too far, he was tackled to the ground from behind by Andrew Carnes, who had just come running up to the scene.

"You's goin' to jail, Jud. I got 'im, Curly. He cain't bother you nor Laurey no more. Let's go, Jud."

As Mr. Carnes drug Jud back toward the town, Jud continued to call out to Laurey, "Miss Laurey, you knows what we did. You knows you's really my girl. That my seed inside a ya and there ain't nuthin' _he_ cain do 'bout that."

"Shet up, you," Carnes said, pulling Jud more harshly on toward the jail and off of the farmhouse's property.

With Jud in Mr. Carnes's hands, Curly rushed to Laurey's side. "You alright?" he asked gently.

"He's right, ya know? No matter what, you cain't change what happened." She couldn't even bring herself to cry. Worse than being sad or upset, she felt defeated.

"Listen to me, Laurey. What he did, it-it don't count, okay? It don't. It don't mean nothin' 'cept that he's a bad man. It ain't like a man and 'is wife, it jus' ain't. No real man would do such a thing to a womern." Curly took Laurey into his arms, holding her there on the porch.

"Curly, ya don't want me. I – I ain't innocent no more. You-you deserve a girl who's all your'n."

"Laurey, ya are all mine. Nobody cain have a piece of you that you don't give to 'em. Jud taked. You didn't give."

"But –"

"No, no more. You hush. You's my Laurey. Come on, let's go back inside."

The couple returned to their room with a heaviness that was not present before. Before, they were filled with the mirth of the wedding. Now, while Jud was captured and locked away, a pressure still weighed on the young couple that neither could shake. Laurey removed her housecoat and climbed into bed under the covers, turning onto her side. Curly returned from getting ready for bed and placing his gun back into its holster to find his new wife in this closed-off position. Curly crawled into bed next to her, under the covers. The heat from his bare skin pressed through her thin nightgown. "Is this okay?" he asked cautiously. "I knowed before I was sleepin' on top, but since we're married, I thought –"

"It's fine, Curly."

"Laurey, talk to me, please."

Laurey turned around to face him, her face long with worry. "I…I cain't….I cain't do it, Curly."

He was confused. "Cain't do what, Laurey?"

"I know we ain't official married yet, but I just…I cain't."

"Oh, Laurey. It's been a long night. You jus' need some rest."

"Curly, I don't think it's jus' tonight."

"Laurey?"

"I love ya, really I do, Curly. And I wants to be married to ya. But…but I cain't get the bebe out of my head. I gots to know. As much as I wish I could jus' think it's your'n, I cain't. I gots to know if it's his. And if we –"

"If we consummate our marriage, we won't know if a bebe would be his or mine," Curly finished for her.

"I know it ain't fair to ya to make ya wait two months to make me your wife, especially when the whole town knows us to be married, but –"

"It's okay, Laurey. We'll…we'll have a weddin' night. Whenever you is ready, we'll have one." Laurey smiled up at him. "Cain I still sleep under the covers like this with ya?" he asked, cracking a small smile to reassure you.

"O' course. Thank ya, Curly. Thank ya," she told him, giving me a kiss before turning back over and snuggling in to his embrace and promptly falling asleep.

As his girl slept in his arms, Curly's mind was still racing. Of course he couldn't bring himself to push Laurey into anything, not after everything she had been through, but he also couldn't say he wasn't disappointed. Just holding Laurey this close, with no barrier between then but the thin layers of their sleepwear, Curly could feel himself reacting to her. She was beautiful and he desperately wanted to see her in all her glory, completely his. And then he would make her his physically, showing her what real love was. He scooted his hips backward on the bed, trying to keep the evidence of his arousal away from her body, not wanting to wake her, particularly to that. Slightly miserable with his own body disobeying and betraying him, Curly forced himself to control his breathing until he fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, they took a trip to town. Curly had ordered Laurey a special wedding gift that hadn't come in before the wedding. Holding hands as the happy couple, they made their way into town. Before they could even make it to the shop, Fred and Slim approached them.

"Howdy, you two," Slim greeted.

"Mrs. McClain," Fred said, punctuating her new title, "Could we borra your husband for a moment?"

Laurey gave a small smile. Husband. "Sher. Curly, I'll go on down to the dress shop to see Ellen. Come find me when yer done?"

"Sher thing," he said, giving her a kiss before they parted ways. Laurey headed on down the road and Curly got pushed into the local saloon with Fred and Slim, finding a glass of whiskey poured and waiting for him on the bar. "What's this all 'bout, boys?"

"Congratulations, man," Slim said, pushing Curly toward the bar. "You's a real man with a real wife now. Tell us all 'bout it."

"All 'bout what?" Curly replied, taking a swig out of the glass.

"Come on, you's bein' modest. The weddin' night? Carnes told us we couldn't even give ya a shivaree, so you must've had a good, long night, huh?" Slim prodded.

"Oh, well, yeah. 'Course," Curly replied, desperately trying to cover, taking a larger drink of the whisky in his hand.

"That's all we git?" Fred said, dumbfounded that his friend was not sharing his adventures with them.

"Look, it ain't like when you boys go to the burley-que. That there is my wife you's talkin' 'bout and I'd appreciate ya watchin' what ya's sayin'," Curly told them. While he was truly possessive of Laurey and didn't like that the details Fred and Slim were so desperate for were intimate details about her, he also used this to protect his own manhood. If they found out that their marriage wasn't consummated (and wouldn't be for a while), he would never hear the end of it. He downed the rest of his glass. "Now, ef that's all, boys, I shuld git back t' my wife. We been married less than twenty-four hours and you's pullin' me away from her." With that, he walked out of the saloon, leaving his friends shocked behind him.

He stopped by the shop where his order was waiting and then continued on to find Laurey. "Laurey, honey? Ya ready to go?"

"Sher. Bye, Ellen!" Laurey told her friend before exiting the shop with Curly. With the package under his arm and Laurey's hand in his, they headed back toward the farmhouse. "So, what did the boys want?" Laurey asked Curly.

Curly stumbled over his words, "Oh, um, they j-just….they w-wanted t'…. they had a question fer me."

Laurey didn't buy it. "Curly?"

He let out a sigh. "They wanted to know 'bout last night."

"'Bout Jud?" Laurey asked, thinking that that would be the talk of the town by now.

"N-no….'bout us…. I didn't tell 'em nuthin' though!" He hurriedly added the last part so Laurey wouldn't tear Fred and Slim limb from limb next she saw them.

"Well, there was nuthin' t' tell…." Laurey said uneasily.

"Even ef there was, I wuldn't a said nuthin'. You's my wife, Laurey, and nobody gits to know none of those intimate details 'cept me." To reassure her, Curly leaned down and gave her a peck on the top of the head and they continued back to the farm.

Once back in their room, Laurey cleaned the dust from herself in the small wash basin and Curly headed to the bureau to hide the brown paper wrapped package. Before he could complete his task, Laurey noticed him. "Curly, what is that?"

"Jus'…somethin' I ordered fer ya fer the weddin', but it ain't nuthin' to worry 'bout now," Curly said, trying to defuse and distract Laurey. He wasn't sure how she would react to it after their conversation last night.

"Curly, come on! Ef it's fer me, why cain't I have it?"

"I…I don't know that you'll like it…" Curly attempted to explain, but Laurey was not giving in. Crossing the room with determination, she took the package from his hands. Curly looked on with a knot in his stomach.

Laurey unwrapped the twine and brown paper, taking the thin, pale fabric into her fingers. It was soft and a pale blue, her favorite color. As the fabric rippled down for her to hold the garment at its full length, she realized it was a lovely nightgown. Lace wrapped around the fabric straps and the low neckline. Delicate embroidery curved delicately around the neck and hem lines. "It's beautiful," she said, barely audible. "Curly, how culd ya afford this?"

Curly shrugged. "I been savin'. I've knowed fer a while that you was the one I wanted to marry. I been savin' fer the day I could finally tell ya. And I knowed pale blue was yer favorite color, just like those forget-me-not flowers that were in yer bouquet."

Laurey smiled. "Yer very sweet." Holding it up, the light from the window shined through the fabric and Laurey could see how sheer it truly was. "Oh my…" she said, realizing what it would be like to wear it.

Curly blushed. "I…I had ordered it, hopin' fer ya t' wear it fer our weddin' night," he admitted, staring at his boots.

Curly was usually the rough and tumble type. To see him embarrassed by a nightgown caught Laurey slightly off guard. She crossed to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Hows 'bout I save this and in a few weeks, when I am to become your wife in every way, I'll wear this for ya, jus' like it were our weddin' night."

Curly's only response was a passionate kiss.

The next few weeks passed fairly uneventfully, but slowly. Curly took over Jud's responsibilities around the farm to help care for both Laurey and Aunt Eller. Laurey cooked her best dishes and practiced her sewing skills under the supervision of Aunt Eller. Each day, when Curly heard the dinner bell ring, he hurried as quick as he could back to the main house. The hours he spent away from Laurey felt all too long.

One day, several weeks after their town outing, it was hotter than anyone in town could remember it being. Curly had to make trips to the well several times an hour, ensuring he hardly got any work done. Aunt Eller and Laurey had abandoned their petticoats to attempt to keep themselves cool and kept wet cloths at their necks to help keep the heat at bay. When Laurey rang the dinner bell that night, it seemed so much later than usual with the heat wearing on everyone. Aunt Eller was heading for the well and passed Curly on the porch as he headed inside.

When Laurey laid eyes on him, it was like she saw him in a different light than ever before. He had taken his button-up and undershirt off in an attempt to keep cool and his toned muscles glistened, covered in sweat. His pants sagged low on his hips under the weight of the sweat they had absorbed, revealing just the top of a 'V' shape leading under his waistline. Dirt smudged his face and chest and he went straight to the wash basin to clean up for dinner.

Laurey turned to watch him, feelings in her belly churning. She felt a wave of heat wash over her that couldn't have anything to do with the temperature, as the sun was setting outside. Her breathing was quick. She had the urge to touch him, to glide her hands over those glistening muscles and to follow that 'V' to its point. She closed her eyes, trying to regain her composure before anyone noticed. Then, in walked Aunt Eller.

"You alright there, Laurey dear?" she asked good-naturedly.

Laurey's eyes snapped open. Curly had turned to check on Laurey as well. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Must jus' be the heat," she covered.

"Keep an eye on her, Curly. This heat ain't good fer nobody," Aunt Eller said before leaving the room.

Curly crossed to Laurey, taking her by the waist to help support her, worried she might faint. "Mebbe ya shuld set down, Laurey," he told her, concern in his voice.

"N-no. I'm fine," she assured him. She went up on her toes to whisper in his ear, "After dinner, when Aunt Eller goes to set on the porch where there's a breeze, wait ten minutes then join me upstairs." This was the only information she gave before carrying the pot containing their dinner into the dining table, leaving Curly dumbfounded in the kitchen.

As expected, Aunt Eller excused herself to the porch after dinner. Once she was outside and out of earshot, Laurey looked at Curly and simply said, "Ten minutes," before going up the stairs.

Curly was chomping at the bit. What did Laurey have planned? What was going on? Each minute passed so slowly, Curly thought he would never find out Laurey's plan. Finally, he slowly started to make his way up the stairs and looked around. Seeing the door to his and Laurey's bedroom closed, he approached slowly and knocked. "Laurey?"

"Come in," she said, her voice muffled by the door. Opening the door, Curly saw his wife standing in the middle of the room, clad only in the pale blue nightgown he had bought for her. The gas lamp on the bedside table cast a glow throughout the room and shined through the sheer fabric, allowing Curly to see Laurey's silhouette clearly through the material.

As if in a trance, Curly stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Laurey, w-what's this?" Laurey shrugged coyly. "I – I thought you were savin' that til… til we…."

"Yes," she said matter-of-factly.

"But… but ya ain't seen Doc Tyler yet. We still gots to wait a couple of weeks til… til we know…."

With determination, she crossed the room to him, taking his hands in hers and placing them on her waist. Undoing the buckle on his belt she said, "I want to see my husband, all of 'im."

Curly couldn't control his body's reaction and felt himself growing hard. Did Laurey know what she was doing to him? "Laurey, ya—ya cain't be teasin' a man like this—" he warned, but she seemed to pay him no heed and continued to undo the fastenings on his pants. When they dropped to the floor, Curly could feel how the thin fabric of his underwear did not provide much barrier or hide much of his current arousal. He lifted Laurey's chin so she would look into his eyes. "I don't wants ya to be a-sceered o' me," he told her, knowing that he had hid situations where he felt like this from her at every turn since Jud's attack.

"I-I ain't a-sceered of ya, Curly," Laurey told him, but her confidence had faded. Just barely in her peripheral vision, she could still see his bulge and her breathing quickened, but not from her arousal. She tried to fain confidence and ran her hands down his chest to rest on the remaining waistband, but Curly grabbed her hands.

"Laurey, it's okay," he told her, pulling her hands away from his body. Laurey turned away from him and covered her face which had turned bright red. Curly kicked off his pants and boots before gently taking her arm and leading her over to their bed. "Laurey, honey, look at me, "Curly said, almost pleading with her. Laurey did as he asked, albeit reluctantly. "Why'd you do all this? The sneakin' up here, the nightgown? I told ya we'd have a weddin' night after we talk to the doc…."

"I know. I jus'…. When ya came in from the farm t'day, I – well, I started t' feelin'….feelin' like a womern feels fer her husband, and I—I cain't explain it. I…I wanted to find a way t' show ya how I was feelin', I guess…"

Curly was taken aback. She had feelings like that too, like the ones he had late at night when he was left alone to his thoughts with his beauty beside him. As desperately as he wanted to make her his in that very moment, he knew she was not okay. He needed to reassure her that everything was alright between them, even without sex. "Laurey, I has feelin's like them fer ya all the time, but ef ya ain't ready, ya ain't. We's man and wife no matter what. You's been through things that ain't right fer ya to have t' go through and I sees you needs time."

Laurey buried her head in his chest. "But Curly, I-I thought I wanted t'. I thought I culd."

"It's okay, Laurey. I loves ya."

"I loves ya, too, Curly." Curly held Laurey in his arms, rocking her slightly back and forth to comfort her. But while she was in his arms, her mind was racing and she finally got up her courage to speak. "Curly? You said you gits…feelin's fer me too, didn't ya?"

Slightly embarrassed, Curly tentatively answered, "Y-yeah…."

"Well then, how's…how's ya been dealin' 'th it? I mean, you ain't been nuthin' but a purfect gentleman to me…."

"Well, um…" Curly started. This wasn't easy to explain out loud, not to his Laurey. "Well, sumtimes I jus' ignore it, I guess. Other times I…I imagine things…."

"Imagine things? What do ya mean?" Laurey inquired, sitting up to listen.

"Well….I mean, I think 'bout you…and me. I think 'bout when we will be married, proper…." Curly measured each word. "That don't mean I's rushin' ya," he quickly added, making sure she realized he wasn't pushing her.

"So, you's jus'…think?"

Curly had done more than think, but to admit that to Laurey made him more embarrassed than he had ever been in his life. With his cheeks bright red, he tried to explain, "Not jus'. I… Sumtimes I-I tetch…" His eyes were glued to the ground.

Laurey took a moment to process this before softly asking, "Well…C-can I see?"

"See what?" Curly replied before even thinking.

"See… see what ya do when you thinkin' like a husband…."

Curly was taken aback. "Laurey, come now. You cain't be serious."

"You's thinkin' 'bout me, ain't ya? Then ain't I gots a right to know?" Laurey replied, some of her old spunk shining through. Curly lifted his eyes from the floor to meet her gaze, a gaze that was sure and present in the moment, a gaze that told him he was loved by this girl and that he meant everything to her. His eyes trailed down her body, his height advantage giving him a view down the front of the nightgown he had chosen just for her, revealing a view of the round breasts that lay beneath it. This view sparking his thoughts and desires up once again. He closed his eyes trying to control himself. "It's okay, Curly," she reassured him.

Curly took her reassurance and laid back on the bed, keeping his eyes closed, imagining the night Laurey would be wearing that nightgown again, the night he would be able to take it off and see the body that lay beneath it. His hand slid under his shorts and grasped the bulge that had grown there, slowly stroking himself. He imagined what it would be like when he finally was making Laurey his forever, buried inside of her, their bodies and souls intertwining. He tried to muffle a grunt that escaped his throat nonetheless. He shifted his hips, shimmying his shorts down just enough to free himself from the final confines. Laurey took in a sharp breath from beside him, bringing him crashing back to reality. He froze and looked over at Laurey whose eyes were trained on the newly exposed skin. Breathlessly, Curly attempted to talk. "L-Laurey?" was all he could mustered.

"I-I'm okay," she said, not moving her gaze. "G-go on."

Curly was thankful that she urged him on because he wasn't sure he could have stopped himself at this point. Closing his eyes again, he returned to his previous actions, the pause having teased him into an even worse state. He fell back into his thoughts, feeling himself getting closer and closer to release. Before he could increase his speed once more to bring on the release he so desperately needed, he felt an unfamiliar soft touch halt his hand. Curly's breathing stopped and he forced his eyes open, looking at the girl next to him. She had leaned over and gently grabbed ahold of him with a grip as close to that of the one he used on himself as she could manage from her angle. She had leaned over to manage this and Curly could just barely feel the breeze from each time she exhaled on his moist skin. Their eyes met, but Curly's words were stuck in his throat. Laurey moved her hand up and down his shaft and Curly's heart leapt into his throat. "I-is this right?" Laurey stammered.

Curly could hardly handle himself. Her soft touch was so much better than he could ever have imagined and she was doubting herself. Straining to force words from his throat, Curly let out a partial cry, practically begging her to keep going, "Yes. Oh God, yes, Laurey." Curly's hand fell away from his body, giving Laurey full access to his arousal. Laurey felt the heat in the spot below her belly grow with each stroke she made. As desperately as Curly wanted to keep his eyes open, to watch Laurey's reaction, both to gauge her pleasure and possible fear, he could not manage it. His vision seemed to have been taken from him and was replaced by a pleasure so great it was practically unbearable. Laurey quickened the pace as she had seen him do and with just a few more strokes, Curly was sure he wouldn't last must longer. "L-Laurey. I-I cain't….I mean, I'm gonna…" was all he managed to muster before he came with a guttural sound from his throat that was like no sound Laurey had imagined could come from her Curly. She felt a tingling far stronger than the one she had felt when he had come in from the fields that day, but, more than that, she felt connected to Curly like she had never felt to anyone before.

Curly recovered as quickly as possible, forcing his eyes back into working order. Laurey sat beside him, looking on slightly uneasily, waiting for him to speak. Rather than speak, Curly sat himself up and took her face in hands, stealing a passionate kiss from her lips. They broke apart breathlessly for Curly to say, "You are amazin', Laurey. Every bit o' ya," before he kissed her again. He covered himself and then invited Laurey to join him, both of them settling down into their usual sides of the bed.

Outside, Aunt Eller giggled as she continued her knitting, the open windows of the upstairs room allowing the loudest sounds to waft into the evening air.

In their snuggled embrace, Laurey and Curly continued their kissing, feeling more connected than they ever had. Curly's hands roamed up and down Laurey's sides, but never venturing lower than her hips. Tonight was far too perfect to ruin by pushing her too far without permission, but Curly could feel his passion growing again and he just prayed that she wouldn't be scared off.

Laurey could feel the bulge reappearing and pressing against her thigh. She pulled away slightly, sparking concern in Curly. "Laurey?" he asked, fearing the worst.

"W-was…was what I did not enuf?" she asked, not able to meet his gaze.

Curly lifted her chin with his finger. "Laurey, it was more than enuf. It was wonderful. You's jus' so beautiful that I cain't help myself."

Laurey gave him a small smile and reinitiated their kissing.


	6. Chapter 6

For the next couple of weeks, Curly could barely tear himself from his and Laurey's bed each morning to work in the fields. It was as if the crimes Jud had committed were years in the past. Laurey waited on the edge of her seat for Curly to return to the main house each day, desperate for his kisses. Aunt Eller could only smile on, finally seeing the couple she fought to get together happy at last. But one particular day brought the happiness crashing back down, back into the reality of the situation they were so desperately trying to put behind them. Near to the noon hour, the phone rang.

"Hello?" Aunt Eller answered.

"Hello, Aunt Eller. This is Doc Tyler. Is Curly 'round there anywheres?"

"Sher is, but he out in the pasture. Jus' a moment while I gits 'im."

Aunt Eller set the phone down and stepped outside to ring the dinner bell. It was best and quickest way she had to get to Curly with him that far out. Knowing it was an odd time to hear the bell, Curly took off running toward the main house as soon as he heard it. "What is it, Aunt Eller? Is Laurey alright?" Curly asked, concern evident on his face.

"Doc Tyler is on the phone fer ya, Curly. I'll jus'….stay out here and work on the butter," she said, sitting down at her churn, giving he and Laurey the privacy to deal with this issue on their own. She was sure to be eavesdropping for important details anyway.

As soon as the screen door slammed behind him, Laurey looked up at him. Their eyes met and they paused for a moment, their silence saying more than words could at the moment. They were both scared, scared that the life they were putting back together slowly was going to come crashing down around them. Slowly, Curly picked up the phone. "Hello, doc."

"Howdy, Curly. How is you and Laurey doin'?"

"We's fine, doc. Where do we go from here?"

"I'd like to come reevaluate Laurey, see how she is healin'. Would tomarra work for ya?"

"Tomarra will be fine. Will ya….will ya know 'bout the –"

"We shuld know after I see her tomarra, yes. I'll come a-callin' in the mornin' then."

"See ya then, doc. Thank ya," and Curly hung up the phone, taking a deep breath.

"Curly?" Laurey asked hesitantly, crossing toward him.

"Doc Tyler is comin' in the mornin' to check on ya, see how you's healin'."

"Will he –"

"Yeah." Laurey gave a small nod of understanding.

The rest of the evening was spent in mostly silence, everyone in their own thoughts. Even in bed that night, Laurey and Curly felt the weight of the next morning weighing on them. After quite some time, Curly finally spoke up. "Laurey, I need ya to know that, no matter what happens tomarra, you's still my Laurey. Ain't nothin' that can change that." Laurey nodded meekly before they both fell back into silence until they drifted off to sleep.

They were not much more talkative the next morning. Aunt Eller let the doctor in and he waited in the entry for Curly to come to greet him. "Mornin', Doctor Tyler," Curly greeted, trying to be as good-natured and kind as he could, despite his worry and stress. "Laurey is up in her room, ef ya'd like to examine her up there."

"That'll be jus' fine, Curly," he said and the men headed upstairs, leaving a concerned Aunt Eller downstairs to attempt to eavesdrop to no avail from that far away. Just before entering the room, the doctor stopped Curly. "Curly, we needs to talk."

"What is it, doc?" Curly asked, not able to hide the concern in his voice.

"Ef Laurey is 'th child, I…I won't be able to tell ya's ef it's your'n. With how soon ya got married afta her attack, it ain't gonna be easy t' know…."

"Ef she is, it's from her attack, doc."

"How do ya know, son?"

"She…she and I ain't…. we ain't consummated our marriage yet. We wants to know…."

"You's waited two months past yer weddin'? You's a good man, Curly, a good man. Let's go check on yer girl," and they entered the room.

"Good mornin', Mrs. McClain," Doc Tyler greeted, taking a seat on a chair at the foot of her bed.

"Mornin'," Laurey replied, obviously lacking her normal spunk.

"How are you feelin'?" the doctor inquired, pulling out her chart to write down her answers.

"I'm alright. The cuts are healed and the bruises have mostly faded," Laurey explained. The doctor examined the old wounds to confirm her statements.

"How's the soreness?" the doctor continued, reviewing the symptoms he had written down from his last visit.

"It lasted a few days. I hasn't tried to do much, but I ain't noticed no pain."

"Any irregular bleeding?"

"Not since a day or two after…." Laurey said softly, getting more uncomfortable talking about it.

"Have ya felt sick ter your stomach? Been eatin' less lately?"

"Not really."

"How's 'bout your monthly bleedin'? Everythin' okay?"

"Y-yes," she replied, not looking at Curly. Though married, that was not yet something she let him be aware of.

"Well, doc?" Curly interjected, not able to contain himself anymore.

"She's healin' quite well. You done a good job takin' ceer o' 'er, Curly."

"What about….?" Curly couldn't bring himself to finish that question.

"No."

"No?" Laurey asked, making sure she understood what he meant.

"Mrs. McClain is not havin' a bebe," the doctor confirmed. Curly ran to Laurey and practically lifted her off of the ground in a tight hug. "Just keep an eye on her, Curly. Anythin' changes, you call me straight away."

"Thank ya, doc," Curly said, shaking his hand, but never letting go of Laurey's waist. "I'll show ya out," Curly said, but the doctor stopped him.

"I can see myself out. You stay heer with your wife," he said with a knowing smile before turning to leave, closing the door behind him.

"Oh, Curly! I'm so happy." Curly captured her lips in a kiss that expressed how pleased he was with the news as well. They could now get on with their life together.

"Oh, Laurey. Thank God you's okay." He then leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Mebbe we can try to have a bebbe of our own…." Laurey's heart leaped. The thought of a little curly headed baby made her smile. "What do ya say I git Aunt Eller a room at the inn fer a night er two sos we can have the place to ourselves?" Curly continued, hoping the answer would be yes.

"Sounds like I better go hep Aunt Eller pack," Laurey replied, giving Curly a kiss.

However, when Curly went to town to make a reservation, the inn was booked that night. Curly made a deposit on a room for the next night for Aunt Eller and headed back to the farm slightly defeated.

It was the longest night either Curly or Laurey could remember. Dinner dragged on. The evening was excruciatingly slow. By the time they all headed to bed, Curly had practically lost his mind and it was still a full day until they had the house to themselves. Laurey and Curly kept stealing peaks at each other as they each got ready for bed, catching peeks of bare skin before averting their eyes as to not get caught looking. Lying beside each other was akin to torture. They kissed, but as the passions grew, they knew they had to stop. Aunt Eller, the old eavesdropper, knew something was up with the two from their odd behavior all day and they couldn't bear the thought of her overhearing anything. With much tossing and turning, and excited anxiousness in each of their guts, they finally fell asleep.

The next day, Curly did not go to the fields, but helped Aunt Eller into town and to get settled into her rented room. "This room alright fer ya, Aunt Eller?" Curly asked good-naturedly. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable; he felt bad to kick her out of her own home.

"Jus' fine, Curly, jus' fine. Ya said you had special plans fer you and Laurey?" she asked, her curious nature coming through once again.

Curly stammered. "Uh, yeah. I jus' been working in the fields so much lately, that I-uh- I thought that Laurey would like some time where we – uh –"

"Relax, son. You's still newlyweds. I may be an old womern, but I ain't stupid. Ya have a good night," she said, a mischievous smile on her face. Curly's face went bright red and he rubbed at the back of his neck in embarrassment. Without meeting her gaze, he headed back to the farm.

When he returned home, he could tell from the smell that Laurey had spent the time he was away in the kitchen. "Boy howdy, sumthin' sher smells good," he said, coming into the kitchen to find Laurey slaving away over a large pot. Curly came up behind her, pressing a sweet kiss to her neck and peering into the pot. "Is that beef stew?"

"Yer favorite," she said, leaning back to give him a kiss on the lips. She wanted everything to be perfect for them now that the heaviest weight had been lifted from them and they could start building their lives together properly.

Dinner was lovely, with freshly baked bread, Curly's favorite beef stew, and even a freshly picked bouquet in the middle of the table. But, if they were honest, neither of them were all that hungry; the excitement for their night together so strong that it made the fantastic dinner seem insignificant. When they have finally given up pushing the food around their plates, the sun had set and the lamp light was casting a glow on each of their faces that accentuated the soft smiles that lie there.

"So, um," Curly said, clearing his throat. "It-um-it seems that it's 'bout time t' tern in."

"Right, um, I just need to clean up from dinner…."

"I'll do it," Curly offered, partially the gentleman, partially to allow for his next statement. "If ya want to go up and git ready…. For bed I mean…Wait, I mean –"

Laurey smiled, trying to set his nerves at ease. "Yes, I do have sum gittin' ready to do, don't I?" With that, she left the table and headed upstairs.

Once she was out of the room, Curly fumbled over himself to get the dishes cleared as fast as possible and bolted upstairs as soon as he was able. After two long, long, long months, Laurey was finally to be his.

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! Thank you to those of you who are following my story. This is the second site I am posting this story on and I love knowing that new readers are experiencing my writing. I would really like to get some feedback though! Leave me your thoughts! I love to read them and I try to reply to all the reviews (if you are logged in as a user when you post). **

_**Also, stay tuned to my author's page! I am currently working on another, slightly shorter Oklahoma! story as well as a Curly/Laurey one-shot. So, if you like Jud's Revenge, I hope you'll check back for my new writings coming son!**_


	7. Chapter 7

When he reached their room, he was quite confused. He had anticipated seeing Laurey in that blue nightgown he had gotten for her, standing confidently in the center of the room like she had a few weeks before. Perhaps, even, she would have perched herself on the end of the bed, legs crossed, revealing the skin of her thigh, waiting for him. But no. She was laying in their bed with the blankets pulled all the way up to her neck. "Laurey? Ya alright?" Curly asked, cautiously approaching the bed. She nodded vigorously. "Then what are ya doin' in bed already?" he continued, giving her a small side smile.

"It was too cold out there," she told him simply. It had been a warm day and with the windows in the room closed, Curly had to admit that it felt a bit too warm in the room for normal comfort, despite Laurey's complaint of cold.

"Oh. Well, mebbe I shuld go git ready fer bed and join ya. I culd hep keep ya warm." He went into the adjoining room and stripped down to his underwear, still respecting her comfort level that had been established in the weeks previous. When he returned to their bed and pulled back the covers a bit to start climbing in, he discovered why Laurey would be cold. Peeking out above the blanket was her bare shoulder and when he pulled back the blanket, he discovered more bare flesh beneath it.

Curly swallowed hard and could hardly bring himself to move. "Ya gonna git in, or are ya gonna keep lettin' that cold air in?" she teased. But his eyes drifted lower, following the trail of bare skin down her shoulder to her chest, her nipples sticking out having just been exposed when he lifted the blanket. Curly's body couldn't be controlled as it reacted to the site of his wife. Laurey reached out and took him by the hand, pulling him toward the bed. Not able to avert his eyes, Curly joined her under the covers.

They tangled themselves in each other, their lips locking in a passionate kiss. Curly moved his kisses lower, savoring the soft skin of her neck. Laurey's breath caught in her throat, feeling heat growing between her legs. Curly's lips continued south, moving onto the swell of her breast before his senses came back to him and he stopped himself to talk to Laurey. Attempting to catch his breath, he looked his wife in the eye. "Laurey, ef – ef I need t' stop…."

"I'll tell ya," she told him, reassuringly running her hand through his curls and down the side of his face.

He nodded. "C-can I?" he asked, desperately wanting to return to tasting her flesh, slightly salty from a thin layer of sweat from being covered in the blanket, yet also as sweet as could be. She gave him a nod and his mouth moved lower, covering one of her nipples with his mouth.

Laurey couldn't believe the feelings that shot through her body when his slick tongue slid over her chest. Curly was gentle and sweet, savoring her body, worshipping the new inches of it he was discovering. Curly slowly slid a hand up her belly to gently caress her other breast. Laurey's heart raced. Briefly she flashed back to that horrible night when Jud had felt her chest, but she let out the breath she had taken in. This was different, not rough in the slightest. Curly was learning her body, learning what it was her body felt like and responded to. He was careful and gentle with her and she felt safe.

Curly moved his kisses back up, placing another strong kiss on her lips before breaking away. "Ya okay?" he asked. He was worried about her. He was worried he would do something wrong, something to upset her, something to hurt her. She grabbed his neck and pulled him down into another strong kiss, dipping her tongue inside his mouth, causing the blood in Curly's body to rush lower. When she released him, he smiled down at her.

Taking her positive sign, he started to shift himself up to his knees between his legs, but before he could do much more, Laurey had frozen, trying desperately to pull her knees together. "Laurey?" he asked gently. Had he taken that kiss to mean something it didn't?

"I-I'm jus' sceered it'll hurt," she admitted averting her eyes. Curly laid back down beside her, wrapping his hand around her waist.

"It's okay. I don't want t' hurt ya, neither," Curly told her, never looking anywhere but into her eyes. "A-are ya still sore from –"

"No, no," she assured him, cutting him off. She didn't want to think about that night tonight. But she couldn't help but still be afraid. "Jus' sceered it will…."

Curly thought for a moment. "I has a thought. Do ya trust me?"

"O' course," she told him, but she was still nervous.

"Ya tell me to stop ef I hurts ya one bit, okay?" She nodded, keeping eye contact with him as she felt his hand slide down her side to her hip and then in toward her intimate parts. Curly could hardly keep his heart from beating out of his chest, but he had to keep himself calm and thinking as clear as possible. He had to stay focused on Laurey. His hand went between her legs and he could feel the heat radiating from the spot that lay between them. Watching Laurey's face, he slowly and gently pushed one finger into that heat, meeting a wetness that was inside her. Her breathing rate increased. He quickly looked down, making sure it wasn't blood that he felt and he looked back up at her. "Is it okay?"

Unable to speak, she just gave him a nod. He slid his finger back and forth, feeling the tight walls around it. Their eyes stayed locked on each other. He then gently pressed a second finger inside of her, repeating the back and forth pattern he had done with the first. Being reminded by his straining erection that he was bigger than just two fingers, he started to insert a third, but Laurey's face grimaced. "I'm sorry!" he said frantically. "I can stop!"

"N-no," she told him. "It's jus'…stretchin'. T'ain't really pain. G-go on." As gently as possible, he inserted his third finger, allowing her time to adjust to the stretch. As her face relaxed, he started to move all three in and out of her slowly, watching for any sign of pain.

Laurey felt the tingling below her belly. Curly could feel the wetness from her core starting to cover his hand and Laurey let out a moan, but it was clear the moan was not a negative sound.

"C-Curly?" Laurey choked out. Curly immediately froze. Had he hurt her?

"Ya alright, Laurey?"

"Y-yeah. I-it don't hurt. It feels good. I…I think I'm ready."

Curly stared at her for a moment, hardly comprehending her words. He slid his remaining clothing off, releasing his bulge to its full height. Laurey could feel him pressing against her side. He then shifted himself to kneel between her legs. He leaned down over her and, supporting himself with his hands on the bed beside her, he gave her a gentle kiss. "I loves ya, Laurey."

"I loves ya, too, Curly."

He reached down between their bodies and positioned himself at her opening and, as slowly as he could muster in his excited state, pushed himself inside her.

Laurey winced slightly as her body stretched to accommodate. Curly desperately tried to control himself, to wait for her face to relax once again, but his body seemed to have a mind of its own. "Laurey, I – I –"

"I'm okay, Curly," she assured him and his body took off.

The softness of her core surrounded him and held him tightly as his hips pulled him out and thrust him back inside of her. He was slick with her wetness and with each thrust, the sound of skin on skin contact filled the room.

Curly was as gentle as he could manage, but his pleasure was building and with the new sensations of being with Laurey, he wasn't sure how long he could last. He reached down between them and felt just above the place where their bodies became one. Finding a small bump there, he made a small circle around it with his finger. The boys who had ventured to Kansas City and had adventured with the girls from the burle-que had shared their adventures with him over drinks, giving him the idea. Laurey jumped, letting out a throaty moan. "C-curly, w-what are you doin'?" She didn't understand where the sudden swell of pleasure had come from.

"Shuld I stop?" Curly managed to get out, but he desperately hoped the answer was no.

"No. Don't stop," she told him strongly. "F-feels good."

Curly cracked a smile. He was making her feel good. This spurred him on, continuing the circling motion as he thrust inside her.

Laurey had never felt the type of good feelings that she was feeling now from Curly's actions. It felt as if she might burst. Her moans became more and more frequent and Curly looked down at her, practically writhing beneath him from the good feelings he was giving her. She deserved to feel good. She had been through too much bad. Then, suddenly, Laurey let out a scream and her head was thrown back, her body arching into his. Her walls tightened around him and he couldn't help by come inside her. Thrusting as he released every last bit of seed he could into her, he saw spots appear before his eyes. His arms gave way as his full weight lay on top of the woman who was now his wife in every way.

As soon as he had enough presence of mind return to him, he pulled out of her and moved to lay beside her, taking her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he told her into her ear.

Laurey's eyes flashed open. "Sorry?" she asked, quite confused.

"I – I heard you scream. I – I tried so hard not to hurt you…"

"No, Curly," she told him, taking his face in her hands, giving him a kiss. "No, no. It felt so good. I've never felt anything like that. It felt so good that I couldn't help it….."

"So…Sos yer okay?"

"Perfect," she reassured him, holding him close to her body.

And there they lay, finally husband and wife in every way, in each other's embrace. That is, until they recovered enough to enjoy the benefits of marriage again that night…..


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, the couple woke up late, having been completely exhausted from their adventures the night before. Laurey had started to cook fresh eggs for their breakfast as Curly went out to get the newspaper from the porch, sent from town by Aunt Eller with a note that told Curly she would spend a good portion of her day in town, giving him and Laurey plenty of time to themselves. Curly smiled. She really was the best in-law he could've asked for. What he didn't realize was that it was more than her being a good in-law that lay behind the need for time alone. As soon as he moved the note aside and saw the headline, he came back to the reality of the past few months. The headline of the town newspaper read, "MAN ACCUSED OF ASSAULT AWAITS DELAYED TRIAL." He scanned the paper as quickly as he could, trying to find out what all the article revealed. "Jud Fry remains in prison in town until his trial can be carried out. It has been delayed, as the only judge available is Andrew Carnes and he is busy preparing for his daughter Ado Annie's marriage to Will Parker. That means that Fry will continue to be held, for the safety of the victim, their family, and the rest of the town, until a trial and verdict can be reached. The defendant continues to assert he is not guilty."

Curly didn't know what to do. He didn't want to upset Laurey with this news, but he also knew she had a right to know. Curly reentered the house and approached her cautiously, telling her to take the eggs off the stove and to come have a seat with him. She was concerned, but followed his directions. Taking her hand in his, he explained to her about the article and that Jud was still here in the town's jail because the trial was delayed.

"B-but Curly, what if he gits out? He'll jus' come hurt me agin," she said, slightly frantic.

"He will never tetch ya agin," Curly assured her, his voice strong and confident. "I won't let 'im. He'll be daid 'fore he could so much as think 'bout it." And he meant it. He would shoot Jud if he dared to try to get near Laurey again.

For the next several weeks, the couple was on their guard. Laurey didn't take a trip to town without Curly by her side and, even then, they would go out of their way to go nowhere near to the town's jail for fear Jud might see Laurey out of his cell window. But as the weeks wore on, Laurey seemed to wear down. She was far more tired than she ever had been before and then, one morning, Curly awoke to the sound of her retching into a bucket in their room. "Laurey, honey?" He approached her gently, laying a comforting hand on her back as she threw up. When she had finished, he helped her get herself cleaned up and lead her back to sit on their bed. Thinking it must just be an illness of some kind, he tucked her into bed and told her to stay there and rest before he headed out to the fields, making sure to let Aunt Eller know that she was under the weather.

But the nausea continued to haunt Laurey, even a week later. Curly couldn't stand to leave her that way without him another day and he placed a call to Doctor Tyler that morning, urging him to come as quickly as he could to help his Laurey.

The news the couple received, based on the doctor's examination of Laurey, was not what they had planned to hear. Curly had pictured the doctor having to bleed Laurey or she would have to take medicine to cure what was ailing her. Instead, Doc Tyler told them, "Well, unfortunately, I cain't help what ails ya, Mrs. McClain."

Curly and Laurey both were shocked. "But, Doc, she's been sick for at least a week," Curly insisted, thinking the doctor hadn't perceived the seriousness of the situation.

"Oh, it's been there longer than that, Curly." The doctor smiled at them, meeting their confused and concerned stares. "Mrs. McClain is gonna have a bebe."

Curly was dumbfounded. "A-are ya sher, Doc?"

"O' course. That sick feelin' is the bebe growin'. Unfortunately, I cain't fix it and it's gonna go on fer a while, but I thinks ya might be able to handle this as the reason." Curly rushed over to the bed and took Laurey into his arms. "With this here bein' the end o' summer, I'd say you'd be expectin' to have yer bebe here near the start of spring." He quickly packed up the rest of his things before saying, "Congratulations, you two," giving them a kind smile.

"Thank ya, Doctor!" Curly exclaimed. He gave Laurey a kiss and then proceeded to show the doctor out, but the doctor stopped him in the hall.

"She's in a delicate state right now, Curly," the doctor explained. "I don't know when Jud's trial is, but the stress ain't good fer her. You keep a close eye on her and that bebe," he warned.

Curly took the warning seriously, but a concern still burned in his brain. "I'll take care of her, fer sher, Doc, but yer sher that it ain't…"

"I'm sher. She'd be showin' by now if'n it were from the attack. You's gonna be a father, Curly," the doctor reassured him and the men finished their trek down the stairs to show the doctor out.

Curly practically waited on Laurey and hand and foot after that. He made sure was sitting down any time he saw her and he refused to allow her to do any lifting, carrying, or anything else strenuous. But Laurey didn't take so kindly to that, insisting he return to working on the farm and that she would be fine. Physically, she was fine. But Ado Annie had announced that her wedding would be in just a couple of months and Laurey knew that the trial would not be far behind.

Over those next weeks, Laurey began to show. Her belly poked out from her heavy skirts, revealing the bump that held her and Curly's baby. At night, as Curly would hold her, he would rest his hand on top of the bump, protecting not only her, but also their baby.

Soon enough, it was Ado Annie's wedding day, and Curly escorted Laurey, never removing his hand from her waist. While it was a perfectly lovely wedding, Laurey was distracted the whole night. As soon as they could wish the happy couple the best, Curly escorted Laurey home, telling everyone that she was just tired. But Curly knew better. She was scared, scared of what was to come now that Mr. Carnes wouldn't be tied up with wedding plans. She was scared of Jud.

The next morning, Aunt Eller had gone into town to pick up a few things from the market. When she returned, she held in her hand a newspaper and two letters. She rang the bell to get Curly back up to the main house, but Laurey inevitably heard it and knew something wasn't right. "Aunt Eller? Why's you callin' Curly up heer? Everythin' alright?" Laurey asked, coming out on to the porch to see what the matter was.

"It's fine, Laurey. Go back inside. I'll be in shortly," she told her. Laurey didn't believe her, but had no real choice but to do as she asked. She knew her Aunt Eller. If she has made up her mind to not tell her what was going on, then she wasn't going to know.

Curly ran up to meet Aunt Eller on the porch, out of breath from having run the whole way. "W-what is it, Aunt Eller? Is Laurey okay?"

"Laurey is jus' fine, Curly, but you need to see this," she said, shoving the newspaper into his hands. The headline on the front page read: TRIAL FINALLY SCHEDULED AFTER ALMOST SIX MONTHS. Curly read furiously, finding that the trial had been scheduled for the following week.

"We shuldn't tell her, Aunt Eller. It ain't good fer her in her state."

"There's more," Aunt Eller told him, handing him the letters. One was addressed to him and the other to Laurey.

He ripped his letter open and scanned it. He was being called to testify. He looked at the sealed letter in his hand addressed to Laurey, knowing that it had to say the same. "She cain't, Aunt Eller. She cain't. Doc Tyler said it weren't no good fer her 'cause of the bebe."

"Son, I don't think it matters. She were the one who Jud attacked. Ef she don't show, it jus' yer word aginst his and ya weren't even there til after. He'll git set free."

"Dammit," he said, turning to enter the house and closing the door behind him. Laurey was there in the front room, waiting.

Curly took a deep breath. "How are ya feelin'?" he asked, trying to make sure that she would be okay to handle the news.

"I'm fine. What's goin' on, Curly? Aunt Eller wuldn't tell me nuthin'."

"The trial has been scheduled," he admitted, watching her face to make sure she was okay.

"Oh… When?" was all she could get out.

"Next week."

Laurey took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay."

Curly went to the rocking chair she was seated in and crouched down beside her. "Laurey?"

"I'm fine, Curly," she said, going back to her knitting.

"Laurey, they's need ya to be there. To testify." The knitting needles fumbled in her hands and the yarn fell into her lap in a tangled mess. "They wants me too and I promise I'll be there fer ya every second."

Laurey gave a meek nod and desperately tried to hold in her tears, feeling them burn behind her eyes as she fought to keep them there. "I'll jus'…I'll be in our room."

"Are ya alright? Here, let me come 'th ya," he offered, attempting to help her from her chair.

"I'm fine, Curly. Ya shuld git back to the fields while it's still light out," she told him sternly.

Curly felt completely helpless. He promised to protect her, but there was nothing he could do. Regretfully, he heeded her orders and returned to work, hoping she would allow him to comfort her later that night.

But that evening, Mr. Carnes came to talk to Curly and Laurey.

"How ya doin', Laurey?" Mr. Carnes inquired politely.

"I'm fine, Mr. Carnes. How's Ado Annie?" she replied, trying to not sound as numb as he felt inside.

"She's good. Off on her honeymoon now. But that means I gots to get back to werk," he said, getting around to the reason for his visit. "I'm sorry I culdn't stop 'em from makin' ya testify, Laurey. It's jus' that you was the one –"

"It's fine," she cut him off, not wanting to really discuss it.

"I'll try to make 'em be as gentle and quick as possible sos ya can come back home. I knows ya needs yer rest in yer condition."

"I'll be there. I wants to hear the verdict," she said, causing both men concern.

"Laurey, honey," Curly said, going to her side, "I don't know that that's the best thing fer the bebe." He knew that, if Jud were, by some small chance, found innocent, he didn't want Laurey anywhere near that courthouse when they set him free.

"I has to know, Curly. I'll be there, Judge. Now, ef you'll excuse me, I'm feelin' a bit tired this evening." With that Laurey left the room to climb the stairs to her bedroom.

**Author's Note: The time jump in this chapter isn't as smooth as I would like, but it also didn't work to break the chapter there, so hopefully you don't mind it too much. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

A week was not nearly long enough to mentally prepare for the trial, yet it was far too long to have to wait. Laurey's demeanor had changed. She was cold and closed off. Curly knew it had to do with the trial, but that didn't mean he didn't desperately want his sweet Laurey back.

The morning of the trial had arrived. Curly escorted Laurey into the courtroom and sat in the front row on the plaintiff's side. Andrew Carnes entered and everyone stood. And then Mr. Carnes called for the defendant to be brought in.

Jud was a mess. His eyes were red, his hair was sticking out at odd points all over his head, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. He dragged his feet on the way to his seat as the chains that bound him required. He looked up from the ground and searched the courtroom. There she was. Right there. Not all that far away from him. But between them sat Curly, who gave Jud a nasty look and shielded Laurey from Jud's gaze. And then the trial could begin.

"And how does the defendant plead?" Andrew Carnes asked from his seat at the front of the courtroom.

"Against the advice of counsel, not guilty," said a man in a suit who seemed to be representing Jud.

"Alright then," Mr. Carnes said, writing down the plea on the papers in front of him. "Plaintiff, call your first witness."

"Prosecution calls Mrs. Laurey McClain to the stand."

Laurey stood and walked tenderly toward the chair beside Mr. Carnes, her hand protectively over her belly. Curly kept a close eye on her. He had told her that morning to just look at him so she wouldn't have to see Jud. But Jud also had his eyes trained on Laurey. He hadn't seen her since the night he was arrested. She was beautiful, glowing. And then his eyes fell to her swollen belly. A baby. She swore to tell the truth and the questioning began.

"Mrs. McClain, on the night in question, can you tell the court what happened?" the prosecution lawyer asked as he got to his feet.

"I was attacked," Laurey responded. She planned to keep her answers short and simple so she would have to remember that night as little as possible.

"And is the person who attacked ya in this courtroom today?"

"Yeah. It were Jud," Laurey admitted, not looking over to the defendant's side of the room.

"And you were physically injured that night?"

"Yes. I had bruises and cuts."

"I'm so sorry to hear that Mrs. McClain. And how did ya get those injuries?"

"He….he throwed me down and I hit the wall. He also threatened me 'th a knife." This got the courtroom whispering and Mr. Carnes had to call for order before they could continue.

"And how did ya get away from this attack, Mrs. McClain?"

"Jud left to get water and my husband – well he weren't my husband yet, but Curly came and found me down in the smokehouse while Jud was gone."

"Thank you, Mrs. McClain," the prosecutor said and returned to his seat as the defendant's lawyer stood to take his turn.

"Mrs. McClain, why were ya in Mr. Fry's place of residence that night?"

Laurey was confused. He had to be kidding, right? "Jud threatened me and then he dragged me down there."

"So you were there against your will?"

"Yes," Laurey said strongly, her nerves bubbling up in her gut.

"Then, why is it, Mrs. McClain, that you had sex with Mr. Fry in his smokehouse that night?" The courtroom erupted. Everyone started chattering to each other, shocked to hear that such a good girl like Laurey would do something like that. Curly leaned over the railing and started cursing at the prosecution lawyer who tried to explain that he knew nothing about the fact the defense would be asking anything of the sort. Jud sat with a smirk on his face. Laurey's nerves were shot. It felt like the room was spinning and she ran from the courtroom, through the whispers that had grown to full-fledged conversation, and began retching anything her stomach had held. Curly was not far behind her and, when he reached her, he rubbed her back, trying to soothe her to get the vomiting to stop.

Andrew Carnes came out of the courthouse and found Curly helping get Laurey cleaned back up. "I'm sorry," he told them.

"Cain't ya do nuthin' 'bout that? Ya knowed what he said weren't true!"

"I know, Curly, but Jud's defense rests on the fact that he loved Laurey. If they prove that she were there willin', well, then mebbe the cuts and bruises weren't all they was made out to be." Curly started to interject, but Mr. Carnes continued. "Now, I knows I was there, but I cain't stop 'em from tryin'….Since they's brought it up, wuld ya like to add to the charges aginst 'im? Add the rape charge? No use hidin' it now."

Curly was pissed off. He had promised to take care of Laurey and this whole thing was turning into one big mess. "What's the difference?" Curly asked, wondering what an extra charge would do to the case.

"Well, for the assault, jus' fer the cuts and bruises, he culd go to prison in Kansas City fer a while. If he were convicted of a rape, well, that's worthy of the gallows in my courtroom," Carnes admitted.

"Do it," was Curly's reply.

Carnes called a recess for the court until the following day on account of Laurey's illness and announced the addition of the new charge. The town was in an uproar, talking to each other about the case and trying to decide what actually happened. Curly took Laurey home for the night and made sure she was resting. He locked the door to their home, knowing that there were sure to be visitors wanting to know more. But neither he nor Laurey were up for visitors of any kind.

When the trial reconvened the next morning, the courtroom was filled to standing room only. It seemed that the whole town was there to hear what had happened between Laurey and Jud.

Andrew Carnes called the court to order. "I would like to remind the court that this trial is being resumed with charges against the defendant including assault and rape. Defense, you may resume your questioning of Laurey McClain."

"Thank you," Jud's lawyer said as he stood to cross the room to the spot where Laurey sat, back on the stand.

"Are you feelin' better, Mrs. McClain?"

"I'm fine."

"Good to hear. Now, we were discussing your encounter with Mr. Fry on the night in question. You asserted that you were in the smokehouse only by force, is that correct?"

"Yes." Laurey had a stern look on her face.

"So why is it then that you had relations with Mr. Fry in that smokehouse that night?" The room was silent, despite the number of people present. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting to hear the response.

Laurey's eyes focused on the ground. She couldn't even bare to look at Curly and talk about it. "He forced me."

"I didn't neither!" Jud screamed, causing the room to burst into whispers again. Mr. Carnes banged his gavel, calling for order, but Jud continued his rant. "You knows we love each other, Laurey! That night was beautiful and you's my girl!"

"Control your client," Mr. Carnes ordered, but the lawyer had no control over the raving Jud.

"That's why you's has a bebe! We made that bebe! That my bebe!" Jud screamed at her.

"Sheriff, get him out of here!" Mr. Carnes yelled over the commotion.

Even as the sheriff drug Jud from the courtroom and back to his cell, he continued to scream at her, "And then you went and married that Curly! YOU'S A SLUT, MISS LAUREY! A WHORE! NO RESPECTABLE WOMAN WOULD –" and his rant was cut off by the door slamming shut and he was out of range.

Laurey had collapsed in on herself in uncontrollable sobs. Mr. Carnes called for order, but Curly had rushed to Laurey's side and taken her into his arms. Jud's lawyer kept pushing. "Mrs. McClain, who is the father of yer bebe?"

"Shet up, dammit!" Curly screamed at the lawyer, losing control.

"Curly…" Mr. Carnes warned, but Curly didn't even register his words.

"It's mine. That my bebe and you can even ask Doc Tyler 'bout it. The bebe ain't big enuf to be his, she ain't been pregnant long enuf! Now back off!"

"ORDER!" Mr. Carnes yelled, but Curly had said his piece.

"Mr. Carnes, can Laurey be done now? This really ain't good fer the bebe."

"Yes, son."

"But your honor!"

"I will not put a young woman and her bebe at risk any longer. Git yer information elsewhere or learn to control your line of questioning," Mr. Carnes snapped at the defense lawyer.

The trial wore on. Curly was called to the stand and testified to what he saw that night, but the lawyers had to be careful not to take into consideration what Curly gathered had happened and focus strictly on the factual evidence. Doc Tyler was also called to the stand, having been given permission by Laurey and Curly to talk about her records, but, technically, all he could attest to were her injuries and the fact that the baby she carried was in fact not a result of the attack. None of it was proof that it was rape except for Laurey's accusations.

But Jud was there for none of it. He wasn't allowed back into the courtroom until he took the stand in his own defense.

"Mr. Fry, would you tell the court in your own words what happened on the night in question?"

"I invited Miss Laurey down to my smokehouse. I heared someone comin' up on us so I rushed us down the pasture and locked the door keep others out, give us some privacy. And she was a little asceerd, she never being with a man before, but we had quite a good time. It was only ruined 'cause Curly came and punched me 'fore I could git back inside and lock the door." He grumbled this last sentence, irritated that his perfect night had been ruined. "If anybody assaulted anybody else, he assaulted me." The defense rested and the prosecution took over.

"Mr. Fry, if this night is how you say it was, why is it that Mrs. McClain's body was covered in cuts and bruises?"

"Things may have gotten a little rough in our excitement…." Laurey hid her face in Curly's chest.

"And why then, was she tied with a rope to the bed, even in your absence?"

"I couldn't let her leave…" Jud's eyes had gone dark. Mumbles started in the courtroom once again.

"And why, Mr. Fry, did you have your knife held to her throat?!" The lawyer's voice had built in this question until his voice echoed in the room.

"OBJECTION!" screamed the defense lawyer, but before Mr. Carnes could respond to the objection, Jud had answered.

"She had pushed me off and tried to run away! I was so close to having my girl that I couldn't take it!" Jud had stood from his chair and was yelling back at the prosecution lawyer.

"ORDER! ORDER!" Mr. Carnes commanded. "I have heard all I need to hear. Jud Fry, you are hereby found guilty of all charges laid against you. A sentencing hearing will convene tomorrow morning. Court's adjourned."

Laurey could hardly believe her ears the next day when she heard the words come from Andrew Carnes's mouth. Each lawyer had made a case for their proposed punishment: the defense asking for jail time, the prosecution for death. Both cases were made, but Mr. Carnes had little sympathy for Jud. "Mr. Fry, I have a daughter about Mrs. McClain's age and I can only imagine what it would be like for her to have to endure something like this. You took something from Mrs. McClain when you attacked her that can never be given back and you have no regrets for it, even believing that the bebe she carries is yours. And while an expert witness has debunked this claim, I can only say, "Thank God for that!"" Jud looked devastated that the baby Laurey carried was not his. He tried to look over to her, but Curly stood in his line of sight. "You are a menace to society, Jud Fry, and our women are not safe around you. I cannot in good conscious send you to jail where you may one day get out to cause more terror. And that is why I rule that gallows shall be erected on the hill outside of town for your execution. Court's adjourned."

As the sheriff drug Jud back to cell to wait, Jud looked toward Laurey with helpless eyes. "Miss Laurey, don't let 'em do this to me. You knows I love you! Don't let 'em kill me!"

Curly turned his back to Jud and held Laurey in his arms, blocking her from Jud's sight until Jud was drug from the courtroom and was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Hello readers! I'm so sorry I didn't post this sooner! I thought I put up the complete story here on and apparently I forgot the last one! Well, here it is! **

**I quickly wanted to thank those of you who have reviewed. I had a couple of guest reviews recently that are quite sweet. Thank you for reading and I'm so glad you are enjoying this story! Check my author's note at the end for some possible upcoming projects!**

**I hope you enjoy the conclusion to "Jud's Revenge."**

It took about a week for the gallows to be built. The whole town had closed their shops, left their jobs, to attend the first hanging they could remember in many years. And even with Curly protesting, Laurey also attended, standing in the back of the crowd. Jud was led up the hill, hands and feel shackled until he reached the platform. Cord Elam, the federal marshal, stood with Andrew Carnes on the platform and Cord lead Jud over the trap door, the noose swaying the breeze.

"Any dyin' words, Jud?" Andrew Carnes asked, as was customary, just like the extravagant last meal Jud had been granted the night before.

"Miss Laurey, if you's out there, I loves ya. I jus' wanted ya to love me back…." He gave a small nod to Cord to signal that that was all he had to say. Cord then looped the noose over Jud's neck and placed the burlap bag over his head to hide his face from the crowd as he died. Cord then pulled the lever.

Jud's feet twitched as the last nerve responses in his body came to a halt. Jud's body swung in the breeze. Laurey buried her face in Curly's chest while Curly watched on, wanting to know for certain that Jud was dead.

Dave Tyler, the doctor, was called to the platform to officially pronounce Jud as dead before his body was taken for burial. This was nothing like the lovely funeral Curly had described to Jud in his smokehouse. Very few followed the wagon as it approached the graveyard to lower his body into the hole that had been dug there. As the men placed the last bit of dirt onto the grave, Laurey, her face streaked from tears, approached cautiously. Curly came up behind her, supporting her around her waist.

"He's gone, Laurey. He cain't hurt ya ever agin," Curly said, trying to reassure her of her safety.

"I'm the reason a man is daid, Curly." This caught Curly quite off guard. Did she not want Jud punished?

"Laurey, he had a fair trial. The judge said that this is what he deserved, not you."

"But, did he really have to die? He did take good care of me and Aunt Eller fer years…."

"Laurey, this is his fault, not yer'n. He hurt you and now he's paid fer it."

Laurey slowly approached the mound of dirt and laid the small bundle of flowers she had picked from the pasture on top before turning to walk away, Curly following behind her.

The next day, when Curly was out in the field, Laurey went on a walk through the pasture. She didn't really know where she was going, but she just kept moving. She stared at the grass beneath her feet as she made her way farther and farther from the main house. But suddenly, she knew exactly where she was, but had no idea why her body had brought her here. Back here. Back to the smokehouse. Her hands were shaking as she opened the door. A musty smell bombarded her as soon as she stepped inside since the smokehouse had been locked up for the past six months, ever since the attack. And nothing had changed since that night. Laurey was overwhelmed by the sights around her. The rope laying across the floor, still tied to the bed frame. The bloomers that Jud had taken off of her still laid on the floor near the bed where he had thrown them. Slowly she walked toward the bed, toward the ruffled blanket and sheets, toward the blood stain that remained, turned dark maroon as the blood dried in its place. Here is where her life had changed forever.

"WHY?! WHY THE HELL DID YOU HAVE TO DO THAT, JUD?! WHY COULDN'T YA JUS' HAVE LISTENED?!" she screamed, lifting the mattress and flipping it off the bed. She kicked over buckets along the wall, picking up one and throwing it at the stove. Seeing the knife he had used to threaten her laying on the ground, she picked it up and attacked the mattress, the feathers inside it flying all over the room. All of the pent up anger and frustration and fear and sadness that she had been desperately trying to hold inside was released into that room, into those stabs.

Curly had come in from the field to chop firewood, which placed him not far from the smokehouse. When Laurey started her destruction, he heard the commotion and took off running. He could hardly believe it when he traced the sounds to the smokehouse. He ran inside and saw Laurey, tears running down her face and she stabbing the mattress over and over. Cautiously, he approached her, laying his hand on her back. "Laurey?"

She dropped the knife and took her face into her hands. Curly sat on the floor beside her and took her into his arms. "Why did he have t' do it, Curly? Why couldn't he jus' let me be? Why couldn't he of jus' left when I told him I f'ared 'im?" she sobbed into Curly's chest.

"I don't know, Laurey, I don't know." He didn't know what else to say. As desperately as he felt that he should've found her sooner, she didn't blame him. He was the only one who blamed himself. But it didn't matter if he felt he should have been there. She finally had come to terms with who was really to blame. "I'm so sorry."

And there in the smokehouse, covered in feathers and tears, Curly held Laurey as she cried out her pain.

That night, Curly went back out to the smokehouse and, with Laurey's blessing, set the smokehouse ablaze. Aunt Eller and Laurey watched through the kitchen window of the house as the old smokehouse burned to the ground, left only in smoldering ashes, taking with it the awful reminder of the attack and the man who perpetrated it.

Over the next few months, the focus of the McClain household changed to not only center around Laurey, but around Laurey and the soon-to-arrive baby. The ladies of the town threw her a baby shower and Curly ordered and put together a crib for the baby, placing it across the room from their bed. It wouldn't be long now until baby McClain would arrive.

One afternoon, Curly was out in the field bringing in the crop and he heard the bell ring from the main house. His heart leaped and he took off running, a wide smile across his face. His baby was coming.

He ran into the house and directly up to his and Laurey's room. But before he could really take in the scene or get to Laurey, Aunt Eller had ushered him back out into the hall. "The husband stays downstairs and waits," she explained to him.

"But Aunt Eller – "

"No 'buts'. Now git." She then turned on her heel and returned to the room with Laurey.

Curly was going nuts downstairs. He tried to sit, but he couldn't manage to stay still. He paced back and forth so many times, he thought he might wear a hole in the floor. He could hear Laurey yelling in pain upstairs and all he wanted to do was rush to her side.

Laurey tried desperately to be strong. She fought the pain of contractions for several hours, but as the pain got worse, she couldn't take it anymore. She wanted her Curly. "Aunt Eller," she said, breathing heavily after her last bought of pain, "Please. Go git Curly."

"But Laurey, the menfolk ain't supposed t' – "

"I don't keer!" Laurey never raised her voice to Aunt Eller, but she needed to make her point. Aunt Eller didn't seem to understand. Curly had already seen her at her worst. She needed him to be there, to hold her hand.

"Doc, what do ya think?" Aunt Eller asked, grasping at straws, hoping to have some support on her side.

"I think that the baby will be heer soon and if'n it will help Laurey, then git him up here," the doctor replied before going back to monitoring Laurey.

Begrudgingly, Aunt Eller left the room and found the nervous Curly still pacing in the front room. "Curly?"

Curly whipped his head around and looked at Aunt Eller. "Is the baby here?" he asked, a mix of concern and happiness behind his words.

"Nearly, but Laurey wants ya."

"I thought I culdn't –"

"Jus' go 'fore I change my mind." Curly took off up the stairs, Aunt Eller coming up behind him.

When he entered the room, he was concerned for Laurey. Her face was covered in sweat and she looked exhausted. He took the chair by her head and leaned over to kiss her on the forehead. "I'm here, Laurey. I'm here," he told her softly. Aunt Eller stood behind Curly, still there for support.

"Alright, Laurey, get ready to push," Doc Tyler told her.

"Does that mean –" Curly started to ask, but the doctor cut him off.

"You're about to be a father, Curly."

Laurey held Curly's hand and pushed as hard as she could. Curly cheered her on, wiping her forehead with a wet cloth and kissing her between pushes. Curly looked toward the doctor and he saw his baby enter the world. Crying sounds filled the air, first from the baby and then from Laurey and Curly. Their baby was here.

"It's a girl!" Doc Tyler called out and handed the baby over the Aunt Eller to clean up. Aunt Eller brought the baby over to Laurey and Laurey cradled the baby in her arms, Curly leaning in close.

"She's beautiful, just like her momma," Curly said, tears in his eyes. He leaned down and planted a kiss on Laurey's forehead just before he kissed his baby girl for the first time.

"What's her name?" Doc Tyler asked. "For the birth certificate."

Laurey and Curly looked at each other. They hadn't really thought about it. But, looking down at his baby girl, the spitting image of her mom, all Curly could think about was how incredibly beautiful she was. She deserved a name as beautiful.

"Skye Rose McClain," Curly said aloud, looking down at Laurey. "What do you think? She makes me think so much of you and your favorite color is that light blue color of the sky on a beautiful summer's day. And she is so beautiful, just like a rose. It's jus' now spring and the roses are startin' to bloom."

Laurey looked up at Curly and back down at her little girl. "It's perfect. She's perfect. Skye Rose McClain."

Aunt Eller lit the lanterns around the room for light as the sun had almost completely set. The room was full of a warm glow. Doc Tyler gave Laurey his orders for caring for herself as she recovered from giving birth and left, leaving the newly formed family. And suddenly, everything Laurey had been through in the past months was the furthest thing from her mind. She knew that everything would be alright. Curly was by her side to protect her and their baby girl and she had her own little family to take care of, with Aunt Eller's help, of course. It's not that she would ever forget what Jud did to her; no one could expect that from her. But she could see now what truly mattered was right there in her arms and there at her bedside.

**Author's Note: It's so sad when a story ends. I know this both as a writer and a reader. But I am really pleased with how this story came out. Thank you to those who have been following Laurey's journey. I had considered adding an epilogue to this story where Skye has grown up a bit. If you review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on that possibility!**

**As for upcoming projects, I started an Oklahoma! one-shot as well as another multi-chapter fic that picks up just after "People Will Say We're in Love" and, hopefully, covers the short time frame between when Curly proposes and the wedding. I haven't posted either of them anywhere yet as I am still working out some kinks, but I hope to get back into the groove of those stories and start posting! I also have an idea for a Gilmore Girls one-shot between Rory/Jess that I hope to be writing soon. If any of those sound interesting, make sure to follow me as an author!**

**Thanks for reading!**


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